Making Italian Wedding Soup: Can You Prepare It Earlier?

Italian wedding soup is a hearty meal in itself, with meatballs, veggies, and pasta in a rich broth. It is a peasant dish, made from inexpensive ingredients, and is perfect for cold evenings. The name comes from the Italian phrase minestra maritata, meaning married soup, referring to the marriage of flavours. Making the soup ahead of time is a great idea, as it can be frozen for up to 3-4 months. However, it is recommended to store the soup separately from the pasta to prevent the pasta from absorbing too much broth.

How to make the meatballs

Making the meatballs is the most time-consuming part of preparing Italian wedding soup, but it's worth it! The soup gets its name from the Italian phrase "minestra maritata", which means "married soup", referring to the marriage of flavours in the dish.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make the meatballs:

Ingredients

You will need the following ingredients to make the meatballs:

• Ground beef
• Egg
• Breadcrumbs
• Parmesan cheese
• Fresh herbs (such as chives, sage, parsley, oregano)
• Garlic
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

Step 1: Combine Ingredients

In a large bowl, beat the egg with the fresh herbs and garlic. Add the ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and salt, and mix everything together. You can use a fork or your hands to combine the ingredients, but using your hands will give you a better sense of when everything is evenly combined.

Step 2: Form Meatballs

Roll the mixture into small, tablespoon-sized balls. They should be about 1 inch in diameter. This size ensures they are the right scale for the soup and will cook evenly. Place the meatballs on a greased, oven-safe rack or baking sheet.

Step 3: Bake

Preheat your oven to 350°F and bake the meatballs for 15 to 18 minutes, or until they are lightly browned and cooked through. Set them aside once they are done.

Tips:

• You can add other ingredients to the meatballs to enhance the flavour. Some recipes suggest adding Italian sausage, while others recommend ground pork or ground turkey.
• You can also experiment with different types of breadcrumbs and cheese to add extra flavour and texture.
• If you want to save time, you can make the meatballs in advance and refrigerate or freeze them until you're ready to make the soup.
• Browning the meatballs before adding them to the soup adds a nice colour and texture, as well as extra flavour from the fond (brown remnants) that forms on the bottom of the pan.

Now that your meatballs are ready, you can move on to the next step of making Italian wedding soup: preparing the broth and vegetables!

How to make the soup

How to Make Italian Wedding Soup

Ingredients:

• Ground beef
• Italian sausage
• Breadcrumbs
• Parmesan cheese
• Eggs
• Fresh herbs (chives, sage, parsley, oregano)
• Garlic
• Yellow onion
• Carrots
• Celery
• Chicken broth
• Beef broth
• Dry white wine
• Bay leaf
• Small pasta (orzo, ditalini, acini de pepe, etc.)
• Spinach
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

Method:

• Make the meatballs by combining ground beef, Italian sausage, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, eggs, fresh herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly and form the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs in batches. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
• In the same pot, soften onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Add seasonings and broth, bringing it to a boil.
• Add the uncooked pasta to the pot and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently.
• Add the meatballs back to the pot and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.
• Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and warm bread on the side.

Tips:

• The soup can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
• It is recommended to cook the pasta separately and add it to the serving bowls to prevent it from absorbing too much broth during storage.
• To enhance the flavor, add a teaspoon each of hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard powder.

How to store and reheat the soup

Italian wedding soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. The pasta will continue to absorb the broth, so you may need to add more broth or water when reheating.

To reheat, place the soup on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through. You can also freeze Italian wedding soup by ladling the completely cooled soup into zip-top freezer bags. Freeze flat for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stove until warmed through.

If you want to store the soup for longer, you can leave out the pasta and cook it fresh when you're ready to eat. This will ensure the pasta doesn't get too soft.

The history of Italian wedding soup

Italian wedding soup, known in Italian as minestra maritata, is a soup that consists mainly of green vegetables and meat in chicken broth. It is popular in the United States, where it is a staple in many Italian restaurants and diners.

The term "wedding soup" comes from a mistranslation of the Italian language phrase "minestra maritata" ('married soup'). "Minestra maritata" more directly translates to "wedded broths", referring to the marriage of its meats and vegetables inside its broth. The marriage isn't a celebration between two people but between vegetables and meat.

The soup dates back to the 15th or 16th century, a time before the Columbian Exchange when New World vegetables such as the tomato were first introduced to Europe. The vegetables are traditionally more bitter than sweet, and the weed-like plants grow close to year-round in the southern end of the Italian peninsula. For this reason, minestra maritata is mostly considered a winter meal.

Commonly, the soup is served as part of Christmas and Easter celebrations. In the Campania region, the soup is prepared during the annual slaughtering of pigs, also a winter tradition. There, pig bones are boiled to make broth, scraps of pork are added, and bitter greens like dandelion leaves, cardoons, and escarole are betrothed to the meat. The rich pork stock pairs well with the bitter leaves.

In places like Calabria and Puglia, chicory, fennel, and celery are common. The soup is often topped with pecorino cheese and breadcrumbs and then baked. In Naples, the soup is served at the celebration of Santo Stefano just after Christmas. This version is heavy on meat, including beef, and should include at least seven different greens, one for each of the Catholic sacraments.

Italian wedding soup is a "peasant dish", made from inexpensive ingredients that anyone could find. It was brought to America by Neapolitans, and the Americanised version is lighter, with smaller meatballs and fewer vegetables.

Substitutions and alternatives

Meat: For the meatballs, you can use ground beef, ground pork, Italian sausage, ground turkey, ground chicken, ground veal, or a combination of these meats.

Breadcrumbs: Fresh breadcrumbs are recommended, but dry breadcrumbs can be used as a substitute. Panko breadcrumbs also work well.

Cheese: Parmesan is the most commonly used cheese, but Pecorino Romano can also be used, or a combination of the two.

Herbs: Fresh herbs are recommended, but dried herbs can be used as a substitute. Common herbs used include parsley, oregano, basil, chives, and sage.

Broth: Chicken broth is the most commonly used, but beef broth or a combination of the two can also be used. Low-sodium broth is an option for those with dietary restrictions.

Vegetables: The soup typically includes carrots, onions, and celery. Other vegetables such as garlic, spinach, escarole, kale, endive, or Swiss chard can also be added.

Pasta: Orzo is the most commonly used pasta, but other small pasta shapes such as ditalini, acini de pepe, couscous, mini shells, or pearl couscous can also be used.

Spices: Salt and pepper are commonly used, but other spices such as red pepper flakes, bay leaf, or white pepper can also be added.

Frequently asked questions